VIDEO: Schauer Talks Straits Oil Pipelines, Roads & Taxes

Democratic candidate for governor Mark Schauer has vowed to not let “one drop” of oil spill in the Great Lakes if he’s elected.

Credit MarkShauer.com

Environmental groups say a 60 year old pipeline under the straits of Mackinac is in poor condition and could rupture. The pipeline is operated by Enbridge. That’s the company responsible for the 2010 oil spill in the Kalamazoo River.

Schauer made the comments on Michigan Public Radio’s statewide call-in program Michigan Calling.

“As governor, over my dead body will one drop of oil spill in the Great Lakes,” Schauer told host Rick Pluta. “I have called on Enbridge already – and if I was governor, I would call on Enbridge to replace that pipeline.”

Enbridge says it’s maintaining the pipeline beyond what is required under law.

Here's video of the show:

Schauer also said on the program that he’d like to end state taxes on all retirement income. He criticized Gov. Rick Snyder’s decision to end income tax exemptions for pensions.

He said he wants to restore those exemptions and expand them to all retirement income – including 401(k) type plans.

“I would not tax retirement income because we are losing retirees and their spending impact in Michigan to other states,” he said.

Gov. Snyder says it is unfair to tax retirement income differently than other types of income.

Later in the program, Schauer said there’s “no reason” he couldn’t sign a comprehensive road funding package within 90 days as governor.

“I’m going to start working on it starting November 5th,” he said. “I am very clear about we’ll bring legislators together, even prior to when I get sworn in on January 1, 2015, to work on fixing our roads.”

Snyder has made boosting road funding by more than $1 billion one of his top legislative priorities in his first term. But lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have not been willing to support raising taxes to pay for it.